Oh no. That's in Queensland. Somebody hold me until the pain goes away. With the Brisvegas Broncos and North Queensland Cowgirls squaring off in the NRL grand final on Sunday, there can no longer be any dispute where the "heartland" resides.

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Gus Gould: Brisbane will win

Defence wins the big games. That's why Phil Gould is tipping the Broncos to beat the Cowboys in the NRL Grand Final.

The proud Sydney clubs that came from the former competition otherwise known as the NSW Rugby League are its veins and arteries. The fact that the decider is an all-Queensland affair, though, should certainly sound an ominous warning to them about their future.

As this column understands it, they have about three years to get their house in order or they risk going the way of the North Sydney Bears and Newtown Jets, dropping out of the competition to make way for the second Brisbane team. Expansion won't happen overnight but it will happen. A second Brisbane team is a matter of when, not if.

Northern intruders: Players from the Brisbane and North Queensland grand final teams in Sydney on Thursday. Photo: Brett Hemmings

Given the precarious financial position of most clubs, there is no immediate rush to expand beyond the current structure of 16 teams. Relocating a Sydney team to Queensland simply won't work, although shifting the Gold Coast up the highway might be an option.

There are no provisions in the yet-to-be-completed television broadcast deal, but Nine boss David Gyngell would take a second Queensland side in a heartbeat, because it gives him more interstate product.

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Last week, in this very space, we told you that the Brisbane Bombers are telling anyone who will listen that they have Craig Bellamy lined up as coach should they be given a licence.

We keep hearing they are also keen on Souths star Greg Inglis, who could look to move back to Brisbane for the final years of his career, if he's still playing. The Bombers have already sniffed around Wallabies five-eighth Quade Cooper.

For all the Bombers ambition, there's a belief that the proud Redcliffe Dolphins club might be a better option. They are rebuilding their stadium, are well established, and have a flourishing leagues club.

If Sydney clubs are nervous about their future, they should be.

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett was stunned when he came to Sydney to coach the Dragons. "I didn't know how much footy meant down here," he regularly mused. "We need to protect the game in Sydney." But charity begins at home. The apathy from Sydney supporters towards their code is going to cost them a club. Given the game's new power base, it shouldn't surprise.

Souths witch-hunt

Meanwhile, as Sydney prepares herself for the grand final, the story of the off-season is brewing at South Sydney. A year ago, many Rabbitohs were already toasting a likely grand final win over the Bulldogs. Now a witch-hunt is on — with much pressure being applied from the NRL — to find out exactly why players Dylan Walker and Aaron Gray suffered prescription drug overdoses that nearly claimed their lives.

Souths chief executive John Lee wisely went on the front foot last Friday outside St Vincent's Hospital, saying the club wanted to "own" the problem. It's admirable but there are deeper problems at Redfern about the club's culture and a playing group unhappy with coach Michael Maguire, despite denials. Co-owner James Packer has said he's a silent partner at Souths, but he and Russell Crowe have some hard decisions to make this summer.

Headgear all round

Are you a small child and do you want Johnathan Thurston to give you some headgear? Not even a small child? Just a man child? Well, get down to NRL Nation at Darling Harbour on Friday where they are handing out no less than 5000 of them. The kiddies might be doing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck sidesteps in the park, but they all want to be like the Cowboys captain. Given that this long weekend includes the NRL and AFL grand finals, an early morning World Cup clash between the Wallabies and England at Twickenham, the Epsom Handicap at Randwick on Saturday and the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on Sunday, there's a few adults who might need some headgear, too.

League and circle of life

The circle of life, and rugby league. In 2001, a young Broncos star called Justin Hodges signed with the Roosters and coach Wayne Bennett dumped him to reserve grade. Fourteen seasons later, Hodges needs Roosters back-rower Aidan Guerra to appear on his behalf at an NRL judiciary so Hodges could escape a dangerous throw charge, clearing him to play in his final match, which also happens to be the grand final. Guerra was always going to leap to the defence of his Queensland teammate – of course players spear tackle themselves to milk a penalty! – but he had to get clearance from Roosters supremo Nick Politis before he appeared. If the Roosters had said no, Hodges wouldn't be playing against the Cowboys at ANZ Stadium. The circle of life, and rugby league.

Power pair all smiles

If John Grant is losing faith in Dave Smith – as feared by many Sydney clubs and first reported here – it didn't show in the hazy aftermath of the Dally Ms. Our various operatives, who were admittedly in various states of consciousness, from rugby league's night of nights report the chairman and chief executive were arm in arm, enjoying more than a couple of beers in the sports bar at the Star after the main event.

According to the old salts, the glitz and glamour of the Dally Ms is a far cry from the good old days of the Rothman's Medal when there was a carton of Winnie Blues on the table and blokes belting each other in the toilets.

Is this for the better? You decide. Cronulla captain Paul Gallen was asked on Sky Sports Radio the following morning who he was "dressed by".

"By myself," he quipped. "My missus got all dolled up. I got there and she said she had to sign a waiver because she was wearing $35,000 worth of jewellery. Thankfully, I kept an eye on her, kept the champagnes to a minimum, and got her home safely."

When it was suggested he couldn't really say much after he was last year fined $35,000 for abusing Smith via Twitter, Gallen chuckled: "She's bought that up before, don't worry about that. She's used it plenty of times when she's been shopping and I've blown up about the credit card. 'You wasted 35-grand!"'

Tackling a musical

If you don't laugh in this crazy world of rugby league, you will cry.

That's why the likes of NRL head of football Todd Greenberg and sacked Manly coach Geoff Toovey have been among the crowd at Rugby League: The Musical at the Factory Theatre of in Marrickville this week. The show is the brainchild of Denis Carnahan, who shot to prominence through his State of Origin song "That's in Queensland". You know the one? The one we ripped off at the start of this humble column.

"The highlight of my career was playing for Australia and the Socceroos and also the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000."

Bachelorette contestant Michael Turnbull. Yes, and mine was kicking a sideline conversion to win a grand final for St George.

THUMBS UP

They were named the best in their respective codes on Monday night, but the humility Brownlow Medallist Nat Fyfe and Dally M player of the year Johnathan Thurston displayed has restored our jaded faith in The Superstar.

THUMBS DOWN

We would never underestimate the value of sport, nor begrudge athletes earning as much as they can. But this week, Jordan Spieth claimed the FedEx Cup, which carried a $US10 million jackpot bonus. That is obscene money. Let's hope some of it went to charity.

IT'S AN EVEN BIGGER WEEKEND FOR ... England when they take on the Wallabies at Twickenham on Sunday morning. Should the hosts lose, they will have drowned in the so-called "pool of death" at the World Cup.

IT'S A BIG WEEKEND FOR ... Bryan Adams, who might be an international rock star from the 1980s and '90s but you haven't lived until you've survived the pre-match entertainment at the AFL grand final. Ask Meat Loaf.

Q&A Glen Boss

Riding his Broncos to glory: Glen Boss. Photo: Anthony Johnson

We speak to the lifelong Broncos fan — and jockey — ahead of a massive weekend of footy and racing.

How are you feeling?

The biggest shot in the arm was our supercoach (Wayne Bennett) getting the accolade he deserves (Dally M coach of the year). What a superstar. He just knows how to extract every ounce of goodness out of every player he coaches. Amazing stuff. He just gives them so much self-belief.

How long have you been a Broncos fan?

I met [former Broncos halfback and current on-field trainer] Allan Langer when I was 20. I am 46 now. We've been best of mates ever since. We speak every couple of days at least, he's a champion.

He spends enough time out there in a blue shirt, so he might as well be named in the 17. He was confident last weekend, and he's even more confident now. That win against the Roosters was a defining game. I didn't see it because I was racing (at Moonee Valley). I can't get to the grand final this Sunday because we have a big meeting down here at Flemington that day, which is a shame.

Busy few days for you because you'll be at Randwick for the Epsom Handicap (where he rides Gai Waterhouse's Ecuador) on Saturday.

I have to race in Melbourne on Friday night, then fly to Sydney for the Epsom, then fly back to Melbourne on Sunday. I'll get through my rides and then get to a TV to watch it.

And watch Justin Hodges play his last game.

It would've been a tragedy if he didn't play. There were a few circumstances in that tackle that went against him. There are some great game breakers in this grand final. It should be a ripper.